Summer Passion Chapter 05: Dusk
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: A warm summer evening, and Rosette and Chrono try to enjoy the little free time they have before the call of duty will call them back. The normally happy Rosette is starting to feel a bit down, and only Chrono can cheer her up / Chrono x Rosette with drama


"Ah horse feathers! What happened to all the money I saved from last night?!"

Rosette's bewildered shout echoed all throughout the park. It was like the fact that she was short on money was like a punch to the stomach. The vendor of the hot dog stand was at a loss for words as the blonde girl before him was tearing through her pockets looking for extra cash that she was never going to find.

Chrono sighed as he took a seat on a bench nearby, 'She should know that the Order doesn't give out money like nothing, that and the price tag of that big dinner last night went a little overboard...' Needless to say, Rosette's stomach often made her make poor decisions that she ended up regretting later. Right now was one such occasion.

"Guess that hot dog will have to wait-" Chrono never finished his sentence as the infuriated Rosette was pinching his cheeks hard.

"No complaining from you, Chrono! You should have reminded me we were low on money!"

She let him go, and the demon began rubbing his tender cheeks, "I did but you said it was nothing to worry about. What else was I supposed to do?"

"It's called triple checking! Remember that next time!"

Chrono gave up before the battle went on. Rosette was stubborn and would never easily admit she screwed up. "Anyway, we still have until Monday to enjoy our time off. We have plenty of time to make up for this, right?"

Rosette put her hands on her hips, "Sure. Well, since it is the summer time, we should head somewhere we can enjoy the scenery...hey, how about we go to Coney Island?"

Chrono looked up at her, "Oh, the place where we get free food just by flashing our badges?"

Rosette blushed lightly, "Uh...guess that was too easy to figure out, huh."

Chrono stood up, "Well, it has been a long while since we were there anyway. Sure, let's go."

Coney Island was a place where people went to enjoy the sea, what with all the entertainment and games to go through, as well as the miles of beach that gave the area quite a serene look. The sun was starting to set and that alone was breathtaking.

Another thing that took Chrono's breath away was the fact that Rosette had not said a word on the drive to the beach. She seemed to be...in a way, at peace with everything around her.

That or she had something up her sleeve, or due to her the dress she wore, rolled up sleeve.

Coney Island was pretty quiet, but that was natural as it was getting close to night time and a curfew was going to be starting soon. The sky was filled with a deep orange glow with the bottom end of the sun getting closer to the horizon. Chrono got out of the car and started for the beach, and he saw Rosette carry a bag with her out of the car.

"Hey Chrono, wait here for me, I need to go do something quick," she said.

Chrono gave her a questioning look went but nodded once, _'Wonder what she has in mind...'_ Deciding not to push the subject, the young demon went to the beach, and he could feel the warmth of the sand through his shoes.

Waiting a few more minutes in the sun and looking out at the open ocean, Chrono failed to notice that Rosette managed to get past him and yank on his hair to get his attention. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to take the demon out of his trance.

"Hey, how do I look?"

The second Chrono laid eyes on Rosette he realized what had been in that bag she had earlier. A summer dress, part of a new fashion trend that was catching on, was sleeveless and the skirt reached her eyes. The straps were spaghetti thin, and the dress color was light blue.

"Father Remington got it for me when he was in Los Angeles earlier in the week, thought I'd give it a try whenever I got a chance. So, what do you think?" She did a quick spin to show off, and truth be told Chrono was having a hard time finding the words to compliment her. It wasn't very often that Rosette, the gun totting demon hunting nun was dressed like a normal sixteen year old girl. She hadn't been able to deem herself 'normal' for four years, the word was to never be in her dictionary again.

"Uh...yeah, you look as good as gold," Chrono finally said, and it wasn't far from the truth, especially as Rosette stood in the light of the setting sun.

Rosette appreciated his answer, "Thanks Chrono."

The two walked together side by side down the beach, where the water was just barely touching their feet. Rosette had not worn shoes and occasionally strode out into the ankle deep water to cool her feet.

Chrono didn't really want to get wet for any reason, but since it was such a peaceful moment, he joined his friend in the water. "You know, I sometimes forget there's a world outside the Order."

"We work so often, it's easy to forget," Rosette said as she knelt down to the water.

The air was getting slightly cooler, and it felt like the atmosphere was getting heavier, a change that the demon Chrono was able to notice right away. He didn't know whether to be worried or not, but he would let it roll until he figured it out.

"By the way Chrono, let me ask you something."

The tone in Rosette's voice was soft, like she had thought about something for a good length of time. Guess the change meant something serious was about to happen, Chrono thought to himself. "What is it Rosette?"

"Think we'll ever have moments like this again, like when this whole thing is over?"

The waves washed over his feet, but Chrono had failed to notice. "You mean, after we find Joshua?"

Joshua Christopher was Rosette's younger brother, kidnapped by another demon four years earlier. Since then she had been searching for him desperately with little luck. It was the sole reason she had joined the Magdalene Order. And Chrono had followed her willingly, despite him being a demon.

Rosette's only action was a nod.

Trying to sound as optimistic as he could given the situation, "Of course. Just don't push yourself too hard, and we'll find Joshua...and Aion."

Rosette stood back up, "But we don't have much time, remember?"

There was a breeze that came by, almost as if nature itself was making the scene more dramatic. Chrono knew what Rosette was talking about when she spoke of 'time.' The pocket watch that hung from her neck was the proof of their contract, and a constant reminder of their mission.

Chrono walked up beside Rosette. She moved her eyes to see him, and he felt him grab her hand. "We'll just work like we always do and we'll find them. Together."

Rosette smiled, "And together...we'll make a future where those we care about can smile. That's a future I want Chrono-" She gripped his hand tightly, "Even if I'm not there to see it."

"Rosette..." Chrono looked up at her, "This isn't like you. You know, being all worried."

Rosette sighed, "Hey, being all optimistic is my best trait, but even I know that reality cannot be avoided. Not everyone can go through life with a smile all the time." She had been living life as best she could and being all smiles and energetic, trying to make sure her spirits were high, and yet there were times when even Rosette felt down by the burden of her reality.

Chrono forced her to look at him, "What I want, Rosette is for you to be yourself. Be the Rosette that is always smiling...the one who makes me happy."

Rosette lowered her head, "Chrono..."

The demon spoke up, the strength returning to his voice, "But, if there's a time when you need to smile, I'll make you smile again. Just let me know when, okay?"

Lifting her head, Rosette smiled, and in a rather unexpected but welcomed move she pulled Chrono to her for a hug, "Thanks Chrono. I'm sorry to make you worry. I'm fine now."

As Chrono took in Rosette's warmth, he did something he rarely ever did. He prayed that he'd be able to stay with her for as long as he could. And deep down in his heart, he wanted it to be for eternity, whether it be in life or death.

As long as he was with Rosette, he would be happy.


End file.
